Miami Law mourns the passing of Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Maynard "Skip" Gross, JD '67, who died unexpectedly on January 12, 2011.

Gross, who was known for his friendliness, was elected to the bench in 1994, succeeding Judge Alfonso C. Sepe.

"I jokingly called him the Wal-Mart greeter of the family courthouse," Circuit Judge Stanford Blake said. "He would get there early at 7 a.m., and he would be in the front of the building getting fresh air, and at lunch time he would do the same."

Chief Circuit Judge Joel H. Brown issued a statement saying Gross "was much loved for his gentlemanly manner, his vast knowledge of the law and for being a stalwart champion of children's issues in family court. We have lost a true scholar and a gentleman."

Gross began his judicial career in criminal court and moved to family court, where he served for the past 10 years. His last workday was Tuesday.

"From the first time that he left criminal to family, he said how much he enjoyed it," Blake said. "Family court was his niche. He would talk to people dealing with people and their children, and he was well-suited for those types of things."

Gross was a former assistant Miami-Dade state attorney and assistant public defender.